Feral Bonds

Chapter 33

"Come along then." Natania followed Duvall as he led her through his warehouse. The ground was cold on her paws, but it was the smell that really held her attention. Like a meadow of poisoned flowers, enticing and revolting at the same time.

The magic that leaked from the human was lesser there than in the office, he didn't spend much time in the warehouse. Small whimpers sounded from a corner of the building and Natania held back a snarl as she remembered he trafficked women. He popped open a side door and Natania flinched as a bullet hit the ground in front of her paws. A test, she assumed as several armed personnel appeared from nowhere, their scents blocked by magic.

Natania snarled and leapt forward, knocking Duvall to the ground and grunting as a few shots hit her sides. She swatted at the closest person, knocking their legs from under them, and yanked the gun from their hands before shoving them into the next. Spinning around, she jumped, snapping her teeth around the top of one of their heads. She didn't know if he meant for her to kill them, and loosened her grip at the last second. The guy screamed and Natania knocked the side of his head with her paw as another shot hit her shoulder.

She leaped to the last one and crushed their gun in her jaws, bashing them in the head with it before sliding to the ground. Natania panted as her body worked to push the bullets out of her skin and walked back to Duvall, nudging him up with her nose. "Finish the job," he snapped, shoving her nose away. Natania looked at him, confused. Those were his own men, she recognized one of them as the doorman for his office building. "Now!" he repeated, when she hesitated.

Natania glanced around, conflicted. Was he testing her willingness to kill? Or to obey orders without question? Internally shrugging, she stalked over to the first one and crushed their throat in her jaws. One by one, she repeated the process, until the ground was stained with blood. Bloodlust roared in her head, but she managed to resist the urge to devour the bodies, thanks to the repulsing scent of black magic.

Duvall said nothing, but nodded in approval. He brushed off his clothes, then gestured for her to follow. He led the way across the alleyway and down a rotting staircase. She didn't need an explanation, she could smell the wolf on the other side, as well as the sickness that held him.

Duvall opened a heavy metal door, ushering her inside. There was a long line of empty cells as he led her down a hallway. They hadn't gone far when he stopped in front of the only occupied cell. A massive wolf stared at him from the other side of the bars and Natania flinched at the sight of it. "This is Fergus," Duvall said, and waved him closer. The wolf, Fergus, paced forward at the gesture and Natania could see the mats lining his grey pelt. His eyes were crazed and a line of drool hung from one side of his muzzle. When the wolf caught sight of Natania, he lost it, snapping and snarling at the bars.

"He's a little unstable," Duvall said, nonchalant. "As you can see. Which is why we keep him down here. But he's obedient. Fergus enough!" The wolf immediately calmed. Duvall glanced down at Natania. "There's nothing to fear, even he can't break these bars." Duvall tapped his fingers. "He didn't used to be like this. We're working on a way to fix him, though it is taking more time than I'd like. I think you might be able to help him. Stay down here for a bit, he won't hurt you. The presence of another wolf should help him. I'll send someone for you when your shift is up."

Natania glanced between the two of them, that wasn't exactly what she had signed up for. "Problem?" Duvall asked.

Natania opened her mouth, then closed it, slowly shaking her head. "Good." Without another word, he returned the way they had come, leaving Natania alone with the stark mad wolf.

What did they do to you? Natania sniffed at the wolf, but he just stared at her. She knew however. Black magic eats you, sometimes slowly, like flies on a corpse, but other times...